title: Systemic inflammatory markers in patients with aortic sclerosis.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate several mediators of inflammation in patients with aortic sclerosis in relation to severity of cardiovascular disease. Serum level of cytokines, soluble intracellular adhesion molecule 1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and 9 and their tissue inhibitor TIMP-1, were measured by ELISA and MMPs activity by zymography in 51 aortic sclerosis patients. The increase in MMPs expression positively correlated with their gelatinase activity; also there was a positive correlation between MMP-9 and TIMP-1 serum levels. Moreover, IL-6 concentration positively correlated with both serum level and activity of MMP-9. The level of IL-6 and IL-1Ra were higher in patients with a great burden of atherosclerosis. Noteworthy, statistically significant higher levels of IL-6 were noticed for patients with coronary artery disease. There was a significant increase in IL-6 serum level as well as a significant decrease in IL-1Ra for patients with a history of myocardial infarction. A trend toward higher concentration of inflammatory mediators was noticed in relation to the increase in severity of the aortic valve disease. Our results support the hypothesis of an "inflammatory pattern" associated with AS pathology and suggest the persistence of a chronic inflammation in patients who experienced acute coronary events.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases C.C. Iliescu, Bucharest, Romania. rugina.mihaela@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rugina
authors.forename: Iuliana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caras
authors.forename: Ruxandra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jurcut
authors.forename: Ciprian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jurcut
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Serbanescu
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salageanu
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Apetrei
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D012598:Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases